


In Need of a Pressure Release

by DragonsIre



Series: Il Mio Tesoro e Il Mio Topolino [1]
Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: 12th century-ish, F/F, Fluff, Found Family, Itty bitty bit of Italian, Joe's kinda losing it, M/M, Multi, Nicky pulls him back together, Quynh and Andy were Greek Goddesses, Stress Relief, Touch-Starved, post-job down time, referenced hurt/primarily comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-04
Updated: 2020-12-04
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:35:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27874702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonsIre/pseuds/DragonsIre
Summary: After a job goes wrong, Joe needs some comfort from his found family, primarily in the form of dogpiles and story time.
Relationships: Andy | Andromache of Scythia/Quynh | Noriko, Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova
Series: Il Mio Tesoro e Il Mio Topolino [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2040866
Comments: 9
Kudos: 74





	In Need of a Pressure Release

**Author's Note:**

> Another fic for Joe & Nicky since apparently I’m obsessed with the only functional, biracial gay relationship that survives the entire movie/tv show I’ve seen recently, so the hard-drive cleaning has been put on pause momentarily. This is set shortly after they pair up with Andy and Quynh but that’s about it for necessary context. As usual, no ownership and I’m just having a blast writing fluff (no beta so all mistakes are mine-please let me know if you find any so I can correct them!). Enjoy!

“What’s wrong?” Joe’s head snapped up at his voice, hand dropping from his wrist as the other man’s frame blocked the hall light.

“Nothing, I’m fine.” The words were rushed, like he was out of breath, and Nicky obviously noticed.

“Did you hurt your wrist?” It was an odd question, but he must’ve seen the hold Yusuf had had before speaking. “Are you injured?”

He shook his head, not wanting to say anything even as he regripped his forearm, turning away as much as was possible from his seat on the window ledge, but that seemed to invite Nicolo closer. “Can you talk to me?”

“I-I…” There was a tremble making its way up Joe’s arms, and he knew the moment that Nicky took another step that he could see it in the low candle lighting from the hall.

His voice softened further as he approached, dropping to a level where Yusuf could barely hear him, and the others certainly could not. “It’s alright, just tell me if I can do something to help.”

“Can you, can you hold my wrist?” As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he wanted to grab them from the air, to take them back. Nicolo’s expression was undistinguishable since he was silhouetted, and Joe’s breath hitched, waiting for a scathing comment as he left, having asked for something too much for their new, non-bloody, relationship. Instead a firm hand unfolded Joe’s own before wrapping carefully around the joint and a good portion of the North African’s arm.

“Is this alright?” He’d watched those hands create countless dishes and wield knives, and now they were a gentle compression on his arm.

“Tighter?” He didn’t speak but the pressure increased, and some of the tension bled from Yusuf’s muscles. “Can- More?”

With how close he was, he could see Nicky shaking his head and tears prickled in Joe’s eyes. “I can’t without hurting you. I _won’t_ hurt you.”

He obviously heard the distressed whimper because suddenly Nicolo was further into the other male’s space, his left hand raised. “Would a hug work?” Joe’s jerk of surprise at the idea was taken as agreement, because within a moment all he could smell was the rich tomato sauce and bold wine that had comprised their dinner as he was squeezed against a firm chest, neck bent to bury his face in his lover’s shoulder.

Despite his surprise, it was grounding to be held so solidly, and for a few minutes neither of them moved, even though the odd angle and half-crouch must’ve been killing the Genoese man’s knees. Yusuf’s hands clutched at the back of Nicky’s shift, pressing lightly so he would pull the taller male even harder against him. “I’ve got you, alright?”

“T-thank you.” His head was clearer when he finally was released, Nicolo moving to sit in the remaining space of the nook but keeping a firm hold on his lover’s wrist.

“Of course. You’ve been needing this for a while. Why didn’t you say anything?”

“It’s not exactly something I like-“ he obviously took that wrong because he dropped the wrist like a hot potato and began to apologize- “the out of control feeling I get when it’s been too long. And besides, it’s strange. None of you need to feel like you’re being squeezed back together.”

Nicky was watching the dark-haired man closely as he retook his hold. “Just because you need something different doesn’t mean it’s strange. We’re all stressed, you just handle it differently.” He curled around him, leg hooking at Yusuf’s ankle, another layer of comfort. “Is it because of the job?”

“Probably didn’t help.” Things hadn’t gone great. They worked well with Quynh and Andy, despite only having spent a few years together so far, but Joe had miscalculated, and he hadn’t been able to get one of the town’s folk out unscathed. The boy would have a limp for the rest of his life, assuming that he was able to keep his leg after the cave opening collapsed on them. “But I’ve been feeling off for the last few weeks, almost since we got to this land.”

“It’s a harsh truth, one we both know, but you won’t be able to save everyone. He’s alive Yusuf, you did that. Don’t fixate on the bad. We’ve all made mistakes, some much worse than your lack of eyes in the back of your head.” The soft-spoken man smiled, head tilted slightly to the side, but he didn’t ask anything else, letting Joe take his comfort as they listened to the two women chat over drinks in the main room.

“Did you two slip off to kill each other again?” Andromache’s voice was raised, probably in response to their silence. Even if they hadn’t been able to distinguish the words, the women had been able to identify the mumble of a conversation.

“I thought you already got past that and on to the sex.” The males groaned, still smiling, but regretting that they’d drunkenly told the pair what had happened during the early days existing in one another’s space.

“If they are, Yusuf sure got quiet between last night and now…”

“Andromache, they aren’t _that_ loud-“

“Loud enough. I still think one of them’s dead and whoever isn’t doesn’t want to get a lecture about it.”

“We’re fine Andy!’ Nicky finally cut off the other immortals while Joe shifted closer to him.

“I still don’t hear Yusuf. Think Nicky got the better of him?”

Murmuring into his hair a quiet “they’re insane,” the Genoese stole his lover’s knife off his belt and tossed it into the hall, hoping, futilely, that they’d accept the lack of blood as proof the pair weren’t trying to kill each other.

“Still nothing? Nicky must’ve torn him apart if it’s taking this long.”

“I’m fine!” They had completely destroyed the calm that had previously settled over Joe, a twitchiness manifesting in his hands once again.

“Whoops-“

“Come on Yusuf.” He made a confused noise in the back of his throat but followed Nicolo from the nook to the main room, guided by his firm grasp. “Move.” Joe wasn’t the only one surprised by Nicky’s command, but both Quynh and Andy shifted on the low settee to create a small space in the center. The European male seated himself, pulling his lover onto his lap so the four immortals were squashed on the too-short piece of furniture. Without waiting for either of the women, Nicolo pilled their legs on Yusuf’s thighs, creating a blockade that kept him pressed almost completely against Nicky. “Better?”

“Yes,” Joe shifted, twisting at his waist in order to return to hiding his face in Nicky’s shoulder, not fond that Andromache and Quynh were seeing him like this but trusting his partner and enjoying the human cage that had been created around him.

“Tell us of Greece.” Nicolo gave no chance for questions, and Andy nodded, sharing a look across the taller male’s back.

“They built her temples. Can you believe that? She got temples, and this ridiculous monument, and a whole city named as tribute, and I got cast as a minor goddess, an Oceanid! Not even a goddess associated with war! Who did they think-“

“You were called the goddess of persuasion and seduction, and I don’t remember you being upset at the time Peitho.” Andy cut off Quynh with a grin, shifting so she could play a not-so-subtle game of footsie with her counterpart, always keeping one leg pressed fully against the top of Yusuf’s thighs as a constant weight.

“Goddess of seduction does have its perks _Athena_.”

“How did they twist it so you were a virgin?” Nicky interrupted, knowing the bare minimum about the “Greek heretics”, a reassuring hand on the back of Joe’s neck.

“The original translation was maiden, which could be used to mean unmarried or virgin.”

“Granted, you and I were doing the whole exclusive thing at the start, but that never lasts long – they should’ve figured their mistake fairly quickly once you started working your way through your _devoted_ strategic warfare followers.” Quynh shifted closer, her knees knocking against Andy’s as she nearly climbed on top of the guys, smirking.

“My guess is none of them wanted to risk being killed for ‘defiling’ a goddess, or some stupid thing like that.”

“By you for gossiping or the jealous masses?”

“Probably both.” Her shrug had them chuckling, having witnessed how terrifying Andromache could be, as well as the long list of not really walks of shame and more the returning of an elated conqueror. The two continued to poke fun at the goddesses that the Greeks had personified them as, the lengths the people had gone to in creating amazing tributes.

“This one man had made for her a huge statue of ivory and gold. It must have been six or seven men high and when the sun shone it hurt to look at it. She was holding her shield and this little woman, face as fierce as when she stood at the front of any charge.”

“Parthenos…” The breathed word had three looks fixed on Yusuf, the male not having made a sound since Andy had begun, and Nicky shifted his grip to wrap around his lover’s jaw, tugging slightly so that the bronze-skinned man had to meet his gaze. Nicolo noted that Joe’s eyes were a bit unfocused but chose not to comment, despite seeing knowing glances shared between the other two immortals.

“What’s that?” Nicky made sure to direct his question to Qyunh, not wanting to pull Yusuf out of the state he’d slipped into during their chat. His body was loose, easily ceding to the Genoese’s manhandling as he dragged him further up his lap, right hand coming to rest just below his ribcage while Joe’s own arm was positioned over Nicky’s shoulder.

“Athena Parthenos, that’s what the monstrosity was called.”

“I thought it was quite splendid. It had all your best features, and some lovely adornments. Such a shame it disappeared after Constantinople in the 900’s.” Quynh nudged Andromache’s leg pointedly, nearly a kick, while the older lady decidedly focused elsewhere.

“Indeed, _such_ a shame.”

“You destroyed a monumental statue of you?”

“It really was quite gaudy, no matter what Quynh says.”

“No…” Joe’s murmur had Nicky nudging the women’s limbs off their laps, rearranging his grip so he could lurch to his feet with Yusuf sleepily held in his arms. The action got raised eyebrows from the two observers, not having expected the lean male to be capable of lifting and transitioning his larger lover between positions so easily. He didn’t do it often, but it was something he had made certain he was capable of after the North African’s first death following the change to their relationship dynamic. Nicolo didn’t like the idea of having to leave Joe’s body somewhere to be killed again immediately upon coming back and carrying him across his shoulders did not always provide adequate cover from arrows, spears or swords while moving.

“I think it’s time we rest. Sleep well.” The sentiment was returned as Nicky headed for the hallway, passing the window where he’d found Yusuf earlier, and into the bedroom. The town had been gracious enough to provide them extremely nice lodgings following their job, as one of the children originally lost in the cave had been related to the community’s leader. Rather than all four sharing a small room, they had a two-room home connected by a short hallway that housed the entrance to the building, and a second hay pallet had been deposited in the main room, which Andy and Quynh had decided earlier in the evening to claim as theirs, gifting the males with the bedroom. The bedroom was chillier, neither having lit a fire when they’d arrived and instead they congregated in the main room around the cooking fire on the settee and mattress, so once Nicky had settled Joe onto the hay-stuffed bundle and wrapped him securely in a soft hide, he got to work building up the fire.

It heated quickly enough, and Nicolo joined his partner in the bed, pulling additional furs over them as he slipped his knife under the folded clothing that made up the pair’s pillows. Joe started to say something, words slow and jumbled, but was quickly cut off. “Il mio tesoro, è ora di dormire.”

“Tesoro?” It was a garbled echo, any of Yusuf’s usual pronunciation capabilities out the window, though he seemed to understand the gist as he let his eyes slip fully closed.

“My treasure.”

“Treasure?”

“I thought you had learned-?”

“No soft things.” Joe mumbled, tugging at Nicky’s arm so that he’d roll onto his side, and then curling around the smaller man.

“I’ll have to teach you then, il mio topolino.” That had Yusuf pulling back slightly, raising sluggishly on his arm to look down at his lover with an odd expression, a mixture of weariness and confusion.

“Isn’t topo mouse?”

“Yes, my little mouse.” Nicolo stole a kiss while the bronze male slowly thought it over, still not fully himself. “No?”

“I like tesoro. Topolino for you; you’re little.” The Genoese couldn’t help laughing, thinking that maybe his out-of-it partner was right.

“Alright, tesoro it is. But only if you tell me when you first begin to need this from now on. Understand, Yusuf?”

“Yes, topolino.”

Nicky pressed one more kiss to Joe’s jaw over his shoulder before settling fully, his body bracketing Joe against the log wall through the skins, knowing they’d need to talk about it in the morning. “Good enough.”

**Author's Note:**

> So hopefully you enjoyed the fluff. I always liked it when my group would dogpile for movies as teens and I thought the action would fit the old guard prior to Booker’s (and somewhat Andy’s post-Quynh) spiraling. Feedback is always appreciated & flames will be used as entertainment for all this fine winter!
> 
> Il mio tesoro, è ora di dormire = My treasure, it's time to sleep.


End file.
